Copy sheet transport apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for transporting electrostatically charged and/or imaged copy sheet material in an electrostatic copier is disclosed. The apparatus includes an endless transport member having an exterior surface fabricated of a non-conductive, piled, moisture resistant material, preferably of nylon, orlon, or dacron. A copy sheet is transported with the charged and/or imaged surface thereof in contacting relation with the exterior surface of the transport member to minimize the dissipation of the charge from the copy sheet surface while in transit.

United States Patent [151 3,653,755

Sen-falls et al. Apr. 4, 1972 [54] COPY SHEET TRANSPORT 3,528,874 9/1970Spencer ..l6l/67 x APPARATUS [72]v Inventors: Arthur S. Serfahs, ElkGrove; Robert C. i gg g xiy r gai gfi gg sr' n X n ar C Patzke, ProspectHeights, both of Ill. Attorney sol L G01 dstein [73] Assignee:Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation,

Mount Prospect, Ill. [57] ABSTRACT [22] Flled: 1970 Apparatus fortransporting electrostatically charged and/or [21] Appl. No.: 18,869imaged copy sheet material in an electrostatic copier is disclosed. Theapparatus includes an endless transport member having an exteriorsurface fabricated of a non-conductive,

[52] Cl "355/3, 355/73 271/45 piled, moisture resistant material,preferably of nylon, orlon,

Int. Cldacro A copy heet is transported with the charged of Search 72,and/or imaged urface thereof in contacting relation with the 75 exteriorsurface of the transport member to minimize the dissipation of thecharge from the copy sheet surface while in [56] References Citedtransit.

UNITED STATES PATENTS A 15 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Nost 355/3 X COPYSHEET TRANSPORT APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates generally to apparatus for transporting documents and the like,and more particularly to apparatus for transporting electrostaticallycharged and/or imaged copy sheet material in an electrostatic typecopying machine.

The steps in preparing electrostatic copies of an original, involves theapplication of a uniform electrostatic charge in the dark to aphotoconductive surface, selectively discharging the surface by exposureto a pattern of light and shadow in accordance with the original beingcopied to provide a latent electrostatic image, and rendering the latentimage visible by applying finely divided electroscopic particles.

In copying machines of the type wherein the latent image is developeddirectly on the photoconductive surface of a copy sheet, it is usuallynecessary to transport the copy sheet between processing stations, i.e.,from the charging station to the exposure station and to the developingstation. This means the copy sheet, with an electrostatically chargedphotoconductive surface, must be transported through the machine with aminimum dissipation of the charge. The latter is diffl cult to achieveif the processing stations are not immediately adjacent each other inthat contact with the charged surface during movement of the sheet cancause the charge to be dissipated. Furthermore, any alteration in thedirection of movement of the charged sheet may add to the likelihood ofsuch contact and result in the obliteration of the image from the copysheet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a primary object of thepresent invention to provide in a copying machine, apparatus fortransporting charged or electrostatically imaged copy sheets, whichminimizes dissipation of the charge on the surface of the sheet duringmovement thereof through the machine between separated processingstations.

It is another object of the present invention to provide documenttransporting apparatus of the last-mentioned type for moving a copysheet having a latent image thereon, from the exposure station to thedeveloping station of an electrostatic copying machine.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide documenttransporting apparatus of the above described type capable of movingelectrostatically charged copy sheets from a first station to a secondstation spaced from the first station along the copy sheet path in acopying machine, and changing the direction of movement of the chargedsheet with a minimum dissipation of the charge from the surface thereof.

Briefly, a preferred embodiment of the document transporting apparatusaccording to the invention comprises a plurality of endless belt membersmounted in spaced relation with respect to each other on a plurality ofspaced rollers, for movement therealong.

Along one portion of the path traversed by the belt members, the outersurfaces of the belts come into contact with the surfaces of another setof transport belt members moving in the same direction. Anelectrostatically imaged copy sheet is sandwiched and carried betweenthe two sets of moving belts with the charged surface thereof incontacting relation with the surfaces of the belt members of thetransporting apparatus of the invention.

The copy sheet contacting surface of each of the endless belt members ofthe transporting apparatus is fabricated of a non-conductive, moistureresistant material, such as for example, nylon, dacron, orlon or thelike and is formed into a soft, piled layer, thereby presenting to thecharged copy sheet surface a minimum area of contact. The piled,non-conductive layer is bonded to a layer of flexible material such as,urethane foam, which in turn is bonded to a two-ply layer of wovencotton material. The foam layer renders the belt member pliable so thatit conforms easily about the spaced rollers which define the pathtraversed by the belt members. The surface resistivity of the piledcontacting surface of each transport belt member is preferably in therange of l X 10 l X 10" ohms per square. The last-mentioned range,however, is only an approximate one since the surface resistivity of amaterial varies depending on humidity and surface contamination.

Because of the construction of the belt members including the piled,non-conductive layer, little if any charge is dissipated from thephotoconductive surface of the copy sheet as the latter is carried fromstation-to-station in the copy machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the presentinvention and its organization and construction may be had by referringto the description below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side fragmentary sectional view of a copying machineemploying the copy sheet transport apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the transport apparatus of FIG.1 taken along the line 2-2 therein, and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional perspective view of a portion ofa belt member used in the charged copy sheet transport apparatusaccording to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings in greater detail,FIG. 1 thereof illustrates an electrostatic copying machine 10 in whicha copy sheet transport arrangement 12 according to the invention, isemployed.

FIG. 1 which shows only a fragmentary portion of the copying machine 10,illustrates the copy path 14, along which a copy sheet 16 beingprocessed in the machine, passes between the charging station 18 of themachine whereat a uniform charge is applied to the photoconductivesurface 20 of the sheet 16, and the developer station 22 whereatelectroscopic toner powder is applied to the imaged copy sheet fordevelopment thereof. For a more detailed illustration of the copymachine 10 discussed in conjunction with the invention herein, see US.Pat. application Ser. No. 889,629; Filed, Dec. 31, 1969; entitled, HIGHSPEED PHOTOELECTROSTATIC COPYING MACHINE, and assigned to the sameassignee.

A copy sheet 16 being processed in electrostatic copying machine 10first enters charging station 18 at the nip 24 of feed rollers 26 and28. The copy sheet passes between the double corona charging unit 30provided in the charging station 18, whereby a uniform electrostaticcharge is applied to the photoconductive surface 20 of the sheetmaterial 16. From the charging station 18, the copy sheet 16 is carriedalong a first portion 13 of path 14 via vacuum belt arrangement 32 inthe direction of arrow 33, to the exposure station 34, immediatelyadjacent the charging station.

The vacuum belt arrangement 32 comprises a plurality of perforated,endless belt members 36 (best seen in FIG. 2) mounted for movement inthe direction of arrow 33 on rollers 38, 40, 42, 43, and 44. A vacuumplenum 46 positioned along path 14 at the back surface 48 of theperforated belts 36 serves to reduce the pressure along the frontsurface 50 of the belt members 36 to draw copy sheet material 16thereto. The copy sheet material is thereby maintained in asurface-to-surface relation with belt members 36 and is carried therebyto exposure station 34.

At exposure station 34, the uniformly charged photoconductive surface20, of copy sheet material 16 is subjected to a pattern of light anddark reflected from an illuminated original document (not shown) toproduce, on the photoconductive surface 20 of the copy sheet material16, a latent electrostatic image.

Once imaged, the direction of movement of copy sheet 16 is altered. Thecopy sheet is carried from portion 13 of copy sheet path 14 to portion15 of the last-mentioned copy sheet path toward developer station 22,which is spaced a considerable distance from exposure station 34. At thedeveloper station electroscopic developer powder is applied to thephotoconductive surface 20 by means of a magnetic brush developer unit17 of the type disclosed in US. Pat. application, Ser. No. 9,316 filed,Feb. 6, 1970, in the name of Stanley A. Gawron, and assigned to the sameassignee for development of the charged image. The transporting of copysheet 16 from the exposure station 34 to the spaced developer station 22must be accomplished without the dissipation of the charged image. Toachieve this, there is provided the unique copy sheet transportarrangement 12 according to the invention.

The transport arrangement 12 includes a plurality of belt members 56mounted on rollers 58, 60, 62 spaced from each other in a triangularconfiguration best seen in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2 each of therollers includes spacers 63 which serve to separate the belt members 56from each other axially along the rollers, and serve to maintain correcttracking of the belt members 56 along the path defined by the rollers.

The endless belt members 56, are moved in the direction indicated byarrows 64 to carry a copy sheet 16 in a first direction from theexposure station 34 along leg 13 of the copy sheet path 14 and then in asecond direction to the developer station 22 situated along leg 15 ofthe copy sheet path 14.

The belt arrangement 12 is mounted adjacent roller 40 of the vacuum beltarrangement 32 which carries belt members 36. The outer surface 66 ofeach of the belt members 56 is in engagement with respective vacuum beltmembers 36, and both sets of belt members are looped about roller 40 sothat a copy sheet exiting the exposure station 34 is carried between thebelt members 36, 56 toward the entrance 68 of developer station 22.

Both sets of belt members are moved in the same direction and atsubstantially the same speed between the exposure and developerstations. To insure an equal speed, rollers 38, 42 and 62 are driven bythe same drive motor 61.

Upon entering the hip 70 of belt members 36, 56 the copy sheet issandwiched between the belt members with the imaged surface contactingthe outer surface 66 of belt members 56.

The surface 66 of each belt member 56 permits the imaged photoconductivesurface 20 of copy'sheet 16 to be engaged thereby with a minimumdissipation of the charge. Surface 66 of each belt member 56 is formedof a piled, non-conductive material, the preferred material having asurface resistivity in the range of l X 10 X 10 ohms per square.Preferable materials available for this purpose are nylon, orlon, ordacron.

The piled characteristic of the material is important since, it permitsthe copy sheet transported thereon to be carried and contacted at aplurality of pin points rather than over larger areas, therebypreventing the dissipation of the charge on the photoconductive surfaceover wide discharge paths. Also, being non-conductive, minimum leakingoff of the charge from the latent image of the copy sheet is permitted.

The material chosen for surface layer 66 of the belt members 56 inaddition to having the above characteristics, should betriboelectrically compatible with the material of the vacuum belts 36,to prevent a static electric charge build up which might be detrimentalto the latent image because of any interaction of the belt membersbetween nip 70 and the exit point 72 of the copy sheet 16. Furthermore,the material should be sufficiently moisture resistant, since acollection of moisture due to varying environmental humidity may cause aconductive path to the latent image, which could result in a partial orfull dissipation of the charge. The moisture resistance of the beltmaterial (surface 66) should be such as not to permit the accumulationof a sufficient moisture content to produce a conductive path even whenthe environmental relative humidity increases to 70 percent.

The pressure applied against copy sheet 16 between the belt members 56of the transport arrangement and the vacuum belt members must besufficient to carry the copy sheet substantially without slipping, yetthe pressure must not be so great as to crush the piled surface 66 ofbelt members 56. it has been found that if the piled surface 66 of eachof the belt members 56 was bonded to a layer 76 of flexible material(see FIG. 3) a minimum pressure would be required to maintain each ofthe belts on the rollers 58, 60, 62, while sufficient pressure could beapplied against vacuum belts 36 to carry the copy sheet successfully todeveloper station 22. A preferred material to provide such flexibilityis urethane foam.

Referring to FIG. 3 there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of beltmember 56 according to the invention. As mentioned heretofore, the beltmember comprises an outer or exterior surface layer of a non-conductivepiled material, such as, for example, nylon, dacron, orlon, or the like.The pile thickness or height is approximately five-sixty-fourth of aninch. The piled surface layer is bonded to a urethane foam layer whichitself is bonded to a two-ply cotton backing 80 to provide the beltmember layers 66 and 76 with support. The foam layer has a thickness ofapproximately one-sixteenth of an inch, while the two-ply cotton layeris approximately onethirtysecond of an inch thick.

Each of the three belt members 56 illustrated in H6. 3 has a width ofapproximately 2%inches. The belt members are separated from each otherby the width of spacers 63. The overall width of the belt transportingarrangement is sufficient to accommodate standard copy sheet material upto 9 inches wide.

Once successfully transported from exposure station 34 to developerstation 22, the imaged copy sheet 16 is carried by feeder roller sets'74, 76 through the developer, whereat magnetic brush developer unit 17applies electroscopic toner powder to the imaged surface 20 of the sheet16.

From the developer station 22, the copy sheet is fed into an adjacentfusing station 78, which includes in the copy machine 10, a fusingdevice 83 for fixing the toner powder applied in station 22 to the copysheet material by the application of pressure only. For a more detailedexplanation of such a fusing device, see U.S. Pat. application, Sr. No.694,515, filed, Dec. 29, 1967, and assigned to the same assignee.

While the transport arrangement according to the invention isillustrated herein as operating in conjunction with another beltarrangement to transport copy sheets in sandwiched fashion from a firstto a second station in a copying machine, the arrangement is capable offunctioning by itself along a substantially horizontal path in themanner of a conveyor arrangement, as well as in conjunction with otherforms of associated transporting means, such as, for example, feedrollers, etc.

While a particular embodiment of the transporting arrangement has beenshown and described, it should be understood that the invention is notlimited thereto since many modifications may be made. It is thereforecontemplated to cover by the present application any and all suchmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

What we claim is:

1. In an electrostatic copying machine equipped with charging, exposingand developing stations for imaging a photoconductive member having aphotoconductive surface and means for transporting the photoconductivemember between said stations, the combination comprising:

first conveyor means for transporting a charged member from the chargingstation to the exposure station with the photoconductive surface of saidmember facing in the first direction where said surface is imparted anelectrostatic charge pattern,

second conveyor means for feeding said member to a developing stationwith said member facing in a second direction opposite to said firstdirection,

third conveyor means for transporting said member from said exposurestation to said developing station and being adapted to receive saidmember with its photoconductive surface in direct contact with thesurface of the third conveyor means, said third conveyor means beingconstructed of a base material having deposited thereon a layer of apiled or brush-like configuration of fibers selected from the groupconsisting of nylon, dacron, and orlon, said charge pattern bearingphotoconductive surface of said member being directly supported by saidpiled fibers above the base material thereby preserving the chargepattern on said photoconductive surface.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the surface resistivity ofsaid layer of piled fibers is in the range of l X to l X 10" ohms persquare.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said third conveyor meansincludes an endless member mounted for movement on a plurality ofrotatable roller means and wherein said piled fibers is relativelymoisture resistant, whereby moisture accumulation therein issubstantially eliminated to prevent discharging of the charge on saidcopy sheet material during movement thereof.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said piled fibers are bondedto a second layer of material to provide flexibility to said thirdconveyor means, and wherein said second layer of material is in turnbonded to said base material.

45. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said second, layer comprisesurethane foam and wherein said base material comprises cotton.

6. In an electrostatic copying machine, apparatus for transporting copysheet material having an electrostatically charged surface along apredetermined path from a first processing station to a secondprocessing station, said apparatus including first and second copy sheetmaterial transport assemblies for moving said copy sheet atsubstantially the same speed between said stations along said path withthe electrostatically charged surface of said copy sheet facing in afirst direction on said first transport assembly and facing in a seconddirection opposite said first direction on said second transportassembly, a third copy sheet material transport assembly in contactingrelation with a portion of said first transport assembly forming aturn-around location for changing the direction in which saidelectrostatically charged surface of said copy sheet faces, said copysheet material being carried in sandwiched fashion between said firstand third conveyor assemblies and having its electrostatically chargedsurface in contact relation with said third transport assembly, saidthird transport assembly being constructed of base material having asurface formed of a piled or brush-like configuration of fibers selectedfrom the group consisting of nylon, dacron and orlon, said piled fibersminimizing dissipation of the charge from the electrostatically chargedsurface of said copy sheet during movement of said copy sheet from saidfirst station through said turn-around location to said second station.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the surface resistivity ofsaid piled fibers is in the range of l X 10 to l X 10 ohms per square.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first and thirdtransport assemblies each comprises an endless member mounted forcontinuous movement between said first and second stations.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said first transport assemblyincludes a continuous member mounted for movement along a path, aportion of which coincides with said endless member of said thirdtransport assembly and being in pressure contact therewith, and whereinthe pressure provided by said endless members on the charged copy sheetmaterial carried therebetween is sufficient to transport said sheetmaterial substantially without slipping, yet not great enough to crushthe piled surface of said endless member of said third transportassembly.

10. A transport member as defined in claim 6 wherein said base materialincludes a layer bonded thereto and to said piled fibers, said layerflexibility to said third transport assembly.

11. A transport member as defined in claim 10 wherein said base materialis fabricated of multi-ply cotton material and wherein said intermediatelayer comprises urethane foam, the thickness of said cotton layer beingapproximately twice that of said foam layer.

12. An apparatus for making copies of an original electrostatically oncopy sheet material transported along a copy sheet path sequentiallypast a charging station whereat a uniform charge is applied to a surfaceof said sheet material, an exposure station whereat said charged surfaceis exposed to a pattern of light and shadow in accordance with saidoriginal to produce a latent image on said surface, and a developingstation whereat electroscopic toner powder is applied to said surfacefor development of said latent image, transport means for transportingsaid imaged copy sheet material from said exposure station to saiddeveloping station substantially without dissipation of said chargeimage, said transport means including an endless belt mounted on aplurality of roller members providing a vertical and a first horizontalspan of said belt over the path of movement, said copy sheet materialbeing retained on said vertical span of the belt during exposure withsaid charged surface facing in a direction away from said belt, a secondendless belt mounted for movement in a continuous path provided with asecond horizontal span in contiguous contacting relation with said firsthorizontal span, said copy material being transported in sandwichedfashion between said belts with the changed surface thereof incontacting relation with said second belt, said second endless beltbeing formed of a piled or brush-like, non-conductive, moistureresistant, said material providing a minimum area of contact with thecharged surface of said material thereby minimizing dissipation of thecharge on said copy material as said copy material passes from said.vertical position to said horizontal position.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the surface resistivity ofthe surface of said piled fibers is in the range of l X 10 to l X 10ohms per square.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said transport means carrysaid copy material in a first direction along a first portion of thepath between said exposure and developing stations, and in a seconddirection along a second portion of the path between said lastmentionedstations.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein the endless members of saidtransport means are looped about a single roller member at the point insaid path whereat the direction of movement of said copy material isaltered, thereby to effectively change the direction of movement of saidcopy sheet with a minimum of disturbance of the charged image on thesurface thereof.

1. In an electrostatic copying machine equipped with charging, exposingand developing stations for imaging a photoconductive member having aphotoconductive surface and means for transporting the photoconductivemember between said stations, the combination comprising: first conveyormeans for transporting a charged member from the charging station to theexposure station with the photoconductive surface of said member facingin the first direction where said surface is imparted an electrostaticcharge pattern, second conveyor means for feeding said member to adeveloping station with said member facing in a second directionopposite to said first direction, third conveyor means for transportingsaid member from said exposure station to said developing station andbeing adapted to receive said member with its photoconductive surface indirect contact with the surface of the third conveyor means, said thirdconveyor means being constructed of a base material having depositedthereon a layer of a piled or brush-like configuration of fibersselected from the group consisting of nylon, dacron, and orlon, saidcharge pattern bearing photoconductive surface of said member beingdirectly supported by said piled fibers above the base material therebypreserving the charge pattern on said photoconductive surface. 2.Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the surface resistivity of saidlayer of piled fibers is in the range of 1 X 1010 to 1 X 1016 ohms persquare.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said third conveyormeans includes an endless member mounted for movement on a plurality ofrotatable roller means and wherein said piled fibers is relativelymoisture resistant, whereby moisture accumulation therein issubstantially eliminated to prevent discharging of the charge on saidcopy sheet material during movement thereof.
 4. Apparatus as claimed inclaim 3 wherein said piled fibers are bonded to a second layer ofmaterial to provide flexibility to said third conveyor means, andwherein said second layer of material is in turn bonded to said basematerial.
 6. In an electrostatic copying machine, apparatus fortransporting copy sheet material having an electrostatically chargedsurface along a predetermined path from a first processing station to asecond processing station, said apparatus including first and secondcopy sheet material transport assemblies for moving said copy sheet atsubstantially the same speed between said stations along said path withthe electrostatically charged surface of said copy sheet facing in afirst direction on said first transport assembly and facing in a seconddirection opposite said first direction on said second transportassembly, a third copy sheet material transport assembly in contactingrelation with a portion of said first transport assembly forming aturn-around location for changing the direction in which saidelectrostatically charged surface of said copy sheet faces, said copysheet material being carried in sandwiched fashion between said firstand third conveyor assemblies and having its electrostatically chargedsurface in contact relation with said third transport assembly, saidthird transport assembly being constructed of base material having asurface formed of a piled or brush-like configuration of fibers selectedfrom the group consisting of nylon, dacron and orlon, said piled fibersminimizing dissipation of the charge from the electrostatically chargedsurface of said copy sheet during movement of said copy sheet from saidfirst station through said turn-around location to said second station.6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the surface resistivity ofsaid piled fibers is in the range of 1 X 109 to 1 X 1016 ohms persquare.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first and thirdtransport assemblies each comprises an endless member mounted forcontinuous movement between said first and second stations.
 9. Apparatusas claimed in claim 8 wherein said first transport assembly includes acontinuous member mounted for movement along a path, a portion of whichcoincides with said endless member of said third transport assembly andbeing in pressure contact therewith, and wherein the pressure providedby said endless members on the charged copy sheet material carriedtherebetween is sufficient to transport said sheet materialsubstantially without slipping, yet not great enough to crush the piledsurface of said endless member of said third transport assembly.
 10. Atransport member as defined in claim 6 wherein said base materialincludes a layer bonded thereto and to said piled fibers, said layerflexibility to said third transport assembly.
 11. A transport member asdefined in claim 10 wherein said base material is fabricated ofmulti-ply cotton material and wherein said intermediate layer comprisesurethane foam, the thickness of said cotton layer being approximatelytwice that of said foam layer.
 12. An apparatus for making copies of anoriginal electrostatically on copy sheet material transported along acopy sheet path sequentially past a charging station whereat a uniformcharge is applied to a surface of said sheet material, an exposurestation whereat said charged surface is exposed to a pattern of lightand shadow in accordance with said original to produce a latent image onsaid surface, and a developing station whereat electroscopic tonerpowder is applied to said surface for development of said latent image,transport means for transporting said imaged copy sheet material fromsaid exposure station to said developing station substantially withoutdissipation of said charge image, said transport means including anendless belt mounted on a plurality of roller members providing avertical and a first horizontal span of said belt over the path ofmovement, said copy sheet material being retained on said vertical spanof the belt during exposure with said charged surface facing in adirection away from said belt, a second endless belt mounted formovement in a continuous path provided with a second horizontal span incontiguous contacting relation with said first horizontal span, saidcopy material being transported in sandwiched fashion between said beltswith the changed surface thereof in contacting relation with said secondbelt, said second endless belt being formed of a piled or brush-like,non-conductive, moisture resistant, said material providing a minimumarea of contact with the charged surface of said material therebyminimizing dissipation of the charge on said copy material as said copymaterial passes from said vertical position to said horizontal position.13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the surface resistivity ofthe surface of said piled fibers is in the range of 1 X 109 to 1 X 1016ohms per square.
 14. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein saidtransport means carry said copy material in a first direction along afirst portion of the path between said exposure and developing stations,and in a second direction along a second portion of the path betweensaid lastmentioned stations.
 15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14wherein the endless members of said transport means are looped about asingle roller member at the point in said path whereat the direction ofmovement of said copy material is altered, thereby to effectively changethe direction of movement of said copy sheet with a minimuM ofdisturbance of the charged image on the surface thereof.
 45. Apparatusas claimed in claim 4 wherein said second, layer comprises urethane foamand wherein said base material comprises cotton.